New herpes treatments on the way (beyond acyclovir)

New herpes treatments on the way (beyond acyclovir)

Acyclovir and the related drugs valacyclovir, famciclovir are the standard treatment for herpes and have been for the past few decades. However, research is underway to develop new treatment options, especially for those unfortunate enough to have many and frequent outbreaks.

Many over-the-counter remedies are very effective and also widely used. Here is an overview of the latest studies, which are still in the research stage, but may be promising new treatments. While we wait, it is good that there are very effective over-the-counter remedies such as QUR herpes gel that both relieve pain and shorten your outbreaks.

1. Ruvidar® – a new, topical alternative

A new treatment called Ruvidar® shows promising results. In animal studies (mouse model), topical application of 1% Ruvidar® to developed HSV-1 sores for 4 days resulted in healing of the lesions—and it worked better than acyclovir treatment (Vax-Before-Travel).
This is a non-light-activated form of Ruvidar®, which in recent research effectively inactivates HSV-1 lesions at lower concentrations than acyclovir (BioSpace). It is a hope for a new general topical treatment, but as mentioned, it is still only in the animal testing phase, human studies are still lacking.

2. Helicase-primase inhibitors: ABI-5366 and pritelivir

• ABI-5366 is a helicase-primase inhibitor that shows promising efficacy against recurrent genital herpes in new data. Interim data were presented at ESCMID Global 2025, and more details are expected in 2025 (PMC, Clinical Trials Arena) here we also await studies in humans.
• Pritelivir (AIC316) is also a helicase-primase inhibitor and is currently in phase II/III clinical trials for patients with acyclovir-resistant HSV lesions. The advantage of this class of drugs is that they do not require activation via viral thymidine kinase, which minimizes the risk of resistance (Wikipedia) also still in the animal testing stage.

3. Alternatives in emergency situations

For patients with acyclovir-resistant infections, there are other options:
• Foscarnet is used intravenously, i.e. injected into the bloodstream and works by bypassing thymidine kinase resistance, but requires intensive monitoring due to the risk of kidney damage (CDC).
• Topical cidofovir gel (1%) and imiquimod 5% cream are alternative topical treatments in certain cases – but are rarely used and require physician evaluation (CDC).

4. Immunomodulation and future strategies

Research into the immune system – e.g. CRISPR/gene editing – aims to eliminate viruses from the body, but is still far from clinical use. The same applies to therapeutic vaccines and antibody treatments, which are still primarily in trials and far from widespread implementation (Wikipedia, hms.harvard.edu).

What can you do in the meantime?

Until new treatments become available, it's all about relieving symptoms and responding early:

• A good herpes cream can help with itching and discomfort during outbreaks.
• Many people use QUR herpes gel, which is available over the counter without a prescription and which in a study has been shown to halve the duration of outbreaks and which also soothes and promotes healing of the skin.

Conclusion

Exciting new treatment options for herpes are on the horizon, especially with Ruvidar® and helicase-primase inhibitors like ABI-5366 and pritelivir. While we await the results of the trials, it's a good idea to have a tube of QUR herpes gel ready in your drawer. It can still make a noticeable difference in your life until the new treatments become a reality.